There’s an urban legend about deep dish pizza which the residents of Chicagoland seem unable to refute. A legend so pervasive that when presented with the evidence of their misbelief, those who have accepted the legend as fact simply refuse to believe the truth even in the face of overwhelming evidence. THiCK pizza is using this urban legend to their full advantage.

Two versions of Chicago-style pizza are available at the THiCK food cart. The traditional thin crust pizza (wait… what?!) and the pizza that is the progenitor of that widely held belief, the stuff of urban legend, the deep dish pizza. That’s right, contrary to what many believe, when people in Chicago go out for pizza they traditionally consume thin crust pizza.

Michael Cline, The Man From THiCK hails from the Chicago area (specifically from Richton Park). Michael grew up knowing the secret of Chicago pizza. In fact, everyone he knew understood the secret of deep dish pizza. Well, secret may be a strong word because it wasn’t like the natives of Chicagoland were trying to hide the fact that deep dish pizza was for tourists and special occasions with your friends from foreign states.

Michael realized there was a way to infiltrate Portlandia and covertly introduce the true knowledge of Chicagoland pizza during a reconnaissance mission several years ago. With more than a decade of restaurant experience, Michael knew the time was right to bring the truth of Chicago pizza to The Great Northwest.

True to the name of Michael’s cart, his deep dish pizza is thick. The first layer atop the deep dish pizza crust is mozzarella cheese which collaborates covertly with the cart-made Italian sausage underneath THiCK’s own pizza sauce. Providing cover for the sauce are large medallions of pepperoni which become charred during baking effectively disguising the pepperoni as bacon.

THiCKs thin crust pizza is actually made with the same dough as the thick crust pizza. Rolled to a cracker-thin layer, this pizza is dressed with a slightly sweeter version of THiCK’s pizza sauce and topped with cheese, mushrooms, onions, olives, the cart-made sausage, and sliced tomatoes.

THiCK’s menu is comprised of street foods well known to the inhabitants of Chicagoland. Along with the pizza you can also order a hot dog. Starting with hot dogs imported from Chicago the bun is loaded up with yellow mustard, dill pickles, sweet relish, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and celery salt. Or as they say in Chicagoland, dragged through the garden. More items are planning to join the menu in the near future.

You can become part of the revolution by enjoying THiCK pizza downtown on SW 9th Avenue between Washington and Alder. THiCK is open Monday and Tuesday, 11:30 AM to 5:00 PM; Wednesdays, 11:30 AM until 2:00 PM; Thursday and Friday, 11:30 AM till 2:00 pm, and then 5:00 PM till 9:00 PM; Saturdays THICK is open 2:00 PM till 9:00 PM.

Listen now as Steven Shomler and Ken Wilson converse with Michael Cline of THiCK about the urban legend of Chicago deep dish pizza and the truth of the thin crust.